Sustainable Contra Costa Workshops

Backyard chickens are easier than ever! You can enjoy fresh eggs and the many benefits for your garden of these peaceful and low maintenance animals. The class will cover starting chicks, coop designs, food, bedding, health, egg birds vs. eggs & meat, and ALL your questions! Coop designs and resource list will be provided.

We will explore the world of herbal medicine and its connections to the garden and kitchen. Many of our most common kitchen herbs and spices are not only powerhouses in the medicinal world but easy to grow in the garden. We will cover the definition of herbal medicine, the basics of planning a pollinator-friendly herb garden, properties and uses of popular kitchen medicinals, and preserving herbs from the summer for use throughout the fall and winter. This workshop includes a demo on making herbal infused vinegar, and each participant will go home with a bottle of medicinal and culinary vinegar.

Anna Marie Beauchemin is a trained clinical herbalist, biologist, and the founder of East Bay Herbals – a community apothecary in Martinez. She offers herbal based wellness consultations, custom formulations, and community workshops throughout the East Bay

Are you looking for ways to engage your kids in the garden? Many herbs, perennials and flowers stimulate the senses and attract pollinators like ladybugs and birds that help keep your garden healthy. Discover who might be visiting your garden as we explore “the good, the bad and the buggy” while showcasing some of the easiest family-friendly plants that pollinators love! Each family will make an herb dish garden, receive a bug guide and plant list, and directions for making a pollinator home to get them started on creating their own thriving garden.